There are so many ways to make barbecue sauce that you want to know the basic kinds and maybe sample them all. That could involve some traveling to get the "real thing," as most of them on this list are named for the region where they originated.

American barbecue sauces owe their differences to their colonial histories and can be divided in three basic categories, vinegar based, tomato based, and mustard based. Then there are at least 11 distinct classic American regional barbecue sauce styles and infinite variations (if we stretch the definition of "sauce" to include Memphis dry rub).

But this guide has links to recipes so you can make your own, and to commercially-available versions you could try out, too! Link -via the Presurfer